Ensenada Performing
Visual Artists Unite for Benefit Concert

By Connie Ellig

Experience a musical journey though Mexico, Central and South America with Grupo Gitanos. Enjoy colorful Mexican folkloric dances by Grupo de Danza Mixcoatl of the Casa de la Cultura, directed by Tomaneli López. Be part of a celebration of life at the “Unidos por El Baile y El Canto (United by Dance & Song)” Benefit Concert at Ensenada’s Teatro de la Ciudad on Av. Diamante on Saturday, May 13 at 7 p.m.

The event also includes an exhibition and sale of paintings, sculptures, drawings, jewelry and ceramics donated by Ensenada artists like Diana Domínguez, Esther Aldaco, Carlos Smith, Carlos and Miguel de la Torre, Enrique Avilez, Cristina Rendón, Vilchez, Gani Guerrero, Lupita Torres, Silvia, Yadira Manríquez, Cecilia Bitterlin, Juan Sebastián Beltrán, Barchi, and Alfonso Cardona. All proceeds from the concert and sale of art works will benefit Theresa “Tere” Varela of Grupo Gitanos who was diagnosed with colon cancer last October.

Artists are often described as moody, unpredictable, and self-absorbed; they are also passionate, empathetic, and generous. When word spread of Tere’s shortage of funds for surgery and chemotherapy, fellow artists, musicians and friends rallied to her support by organizing or participating in a series of local fundraising activities that included a benefit concert at Teatro Benito Juárez, a collective art exposition at Ensenada Antiques Shop & Gallery, and an art auction at Centro Artesanal. In addition to events held in Ensenada, friends in Punta Chivato, B.C.S. hosted a fundraising dinner and personally delivered the proceeds to an astonished Tere in Ensenada just in time for a scheduled medical treatment. “I was totally surprised; it was an answer to my prayer,” she declares. “We are very fortunate to have made so many friends in Ensenada and Baja through our music.”

Born and raised in Northern California, Tere is a musical prodigy who learned to play the violin at age seven. A year later she advanced to cello, flute and piano and became active in school and church choirs. When Tere reached her teens, her mother – also a musician – gave her with a beautiful rosewood guitar that she promptly taught herself to play. Although Tere knew that music would always be a part of her life, she never dreamed that her future would lie with a Mexican musician/oceanographer named Sextos Varela whom she would meet in Ensenada in 1991.

Fluent in Spanish since childhood, Tere was working in the language arts department of a California community college and chaperoning students taking intensive one- and two-week Spanish courses in Ensenada. Sextos and his group, Pajaro Caripocapote, which played music from the Andes, were always part of the cultural entertainment planned for the students.

“Sextos spent two years trying to get me to go out with him,” Tere reminisces. “And then one night, the language school took us to a club called Smitty Gonzales where Pajaro Caripocapote was performing. During the intermission, Sextos began to dance to the disco music. The entire restaurant was watching as he danced over to our table and got down on one knee and asked me to dance. Everyone was applauding and I couldn't say no. Oh, he was so romantic! I later gave him my phone number. Eventually the long distance phone bills got too expensive and I had to move to Mexico. That was over 15 years ago and it was the best decision I ever made. I love Mexico and I love my husband and his family.”

When Pajaro Caripocapote disbanded in 1992, the Varelas and several friends formed Kuiria and played Latin music from Argentina to Mexico using Caribbean rhythms. With a husband proficient with more than a dozen musical instruments, Tere was challenged to add to her repertoire and became skilled in playing bongos and congas from Cuba, bombo le guerro from Argentina, wooden and bamboo drums from the Indians, plus maracas, claves, guiro, rain stick, huesos de fraile, vibra slap, tabachines, and charango. Kuiria performed in many cities throughout Baja and Southern California.

In 1995, Sextos received a job offer to join Ecoturismo Kuyima at Laguna San Ignacio, B.C.S. as a resident oceanographer and campsite manager during whale watching season. The couple also was invited to entertain visitors. It was here in this serene gray whale sanctuary that the soul of the musical group now known as Gitanos was born. And it was here in this magical place that Tere discovered her talent for painting and art. In 2002, she began teaching the wives of local fishermen how to make crafts and souvenirs to sell to tourists in the interest of keeping income in the lagoon. After struggling for three years, the art group called Artesanos MarAzul purchased a lot and is now building a workshop.

Because Tere’s medical treatment schedule prevented her from going to the lagoon this year, she began teaching a group of Mixtecos (Indians from Michoacan) how to make handicrafts to sell along Ensenada’s wine route to Valle de Guadalupe. “I strongly believes that one must make the very most of every situation,” comments Tere. “No matter what life deals you, you have to make the best of it with love.” 

Tickets for the “Unidos por El Baile y El Canto (United by Dance & Song)” Benefit Concert are $5 dlls. and are available at the door or in advance with Josefina Zavala at (646) 177-3130 or Sextos Varela at (646) 155-3149; e-mail: gitanos@kuyima.com